Sam Peckinpah's only venture into war films is a mixed success. The storyline concerns a German World War II captain who's main goal is to earn himself the Iron Cross (Maximilian Schell), and how he butts heads with a corporal who's just trying to do his business and survive (James Coburn). At a few points in the movie, the story seems to forget where it's going, and trails off into unnecessary subplots and action sequences. Peckinpah's directorial skill is evident in these scenes nobody has ever done action as good as him but he could've used a better script. For all it's flaws, it's worthwhile viewing especially for Peckinpah fans but it is far from the director's best.
Review of Cross of Iron
